Presser-foot for shirring-machines.



R. G. WOODWARD.

PRESSER FOOT FOR smmzme MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 5,1908. L1%5,6%5 Patented July 6, 1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

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H. G. WOODWABD. PRESSER FOOT EOE SHIRRING MACHINES. APPLICATION FILEDMAY 5, 1908.

hmfi mfio Patented July 6, 1915,

2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

fiMM g3, Mam MMWW RUSSEL Gr. WOODWARD, 0F WAUKEGA'N, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNORT0 UNION SPECIAL MACHINE COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, AOORPORATION OFILLINOIS.

R eraanarntnnn prion.

PRESSER-FOOT FOR SHIRRING-MACI-IINES.

Specification of Letters JPa'tent.

Patented aai c, lam.

Application filed May 5, 1908. Serial Ito. 430,899.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, RUSSEL G. WOODWARD, acitizen of the United States, residing at Vvaukegan, in the county ofLake, State of' llllinois, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Presser-Feet for Shirring-Machines, of which thefollowing is a description, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawing and to the letters and figures of reference marked thereon.

My invention relates to new and useful improvements in shining machines,and more especially to the presser foot used in connection with machinesof this type.

The object of my invention is to provide a presser foot which'may beused to shirr the fabric operated upon or which may be so adjusted as toperform ordinary sewing.

A further object of my invention is to provide a presser foot forshirring fabric, which has adjustable parts so that the size of theshirrs being formed may be varied.

A still further object of my invention is to provide a presser foot forforming shirrs which may tilt to accommodate seams extending at an acuteangle to the line offeed.

Still further objects of my invention will in part be obvious, and willin part be more fully hereinafter described.

In the drawings which show byway of illustration one. embodiment of myinvention: Figure 1 shows the head of a sewing machine with certainparts in section, with my improved presser foot applied thereto. Fig. 2is a top plan view of the presser foot showing a strip of fabric with aseam therein, extending diagonally of the line of feed. Fig. 3-is asectional view of my improved presser foot with the parts adjusted forshirring. Fig. 4 is a detail front view of the auxiliary presser foot.Fig. 5 is a View of the presser foot from the rear. Fig. 6 is a view ofthe presser foot from the front with the main portion in section. Fig. 7is a view similar to Fig. 3 with the parts in position for plainstitching. Fig. 8 is a detail inside elevation, showing a modified formof means vice.

for adjusting the foot. Fig. 9 is a plan view of the adjusting wheelshown in Fig. 8. Fig. 10 is a detaihshowingin side elevation, a furthermodification of the adjusting de- Fig. 11 is a plan view of thesame.Fig. 19. shows treadle connection to adjusting lever.

My improved presser foot may of course,

be'used in connection with a sewing machine of any desired type. For thesake of illustration l have however, shown my foot applied to a multipleneedle single chain stitch machine. Said machine comprises aneedle bar1, which is reciprocated in the usual manner, and carries a needle 2..The presser bar 3, is mounted in the forward end of the machine, and islifted in the usual manner, by the presser lever 4e. Said presser bar isprovided with a presser foot 5, which cooperates with a feed dog 6,carried by a feed bar 7, and operated in the usual manner. A looper 8 ismounted beheath the work support 9, and cooperates with the needle 2.llhese parts with the exception of the presser foot, are of the usualconstruction and will not need further description in this connection.

My improved presser foot is made in two parts 10 and 11. The main part11, as shown in the present illustrated embodiment of my invention, isprovided with an upwardly extending shank portion 152. Said shankportion12, extends up through a supporting frame or collar 13, formedintegral with the split clamping arm 14, which secures the presser footto the lower end of the presser bar. Said presser bar is secured to thesupporting frame 13 by a pivot pin 15. The lower face of the frame 13tapers upwardly from its center outward as shown in Figs. 5 and 6. Itwill therefore, be seen that the main part 11 of my foot is capable of aslight tilting movement in a direction substantiallyat right angles tothe line of feed.

As shown in the drawings, the main part 11 is a wide foot, containingfive needle holes 16, each of which is adapted to receive a needle ofthe stitching mechanism. It will be obvious however, that from certainaspects of my invention said foot may be much narrower and used inconnection with a single needle, if desired.

- n will be noted that the needle holes 16,

will be released from all pressure. As a re sult the fabric'will be fedto the stitching point, but there is nothing to immediately feed thefabric away; from the stitching point, so that said fabric will pile up,thus making shirrs.; The amount of piling up of the fabric whichdetermines the size. of the shirrs will vary according to the positionof the auxiliary part 18 of the foot. When saidpart is adjusted so thatthe space in rear ofthe' stitching point is greater, of

course, more fabric will be piled up before it is fed away from thestitching point, and thus the size of the-shirrs increases, while on theother hand, 'if the space be decreased, the

size of the shirrs will be correspondingly decreased.

As a means for adjusting the auxiliary part 18 of my foot, I haveprovided said part with a shank portion 19, which extends up into thetubular shank 12 of the main presser foot 11. Said shank portion 19, asshown in Figs. 3 and 7, is provided with an elongated opening 20, whichwe rounds the pivot pin 15. The upper portion of the shank'19 isprovided with a threaded socket which receives a screw 21. Said screw 21is rovided with a collar 22, and a head wherehy it, may be turned. Thecollar 22is spaced slightly from the head and a bracket 21- secured tothe shank 12 of the main presser foot by screws 25, extends between saidhead and said collar and serves to hold the screw 21 againstlongitudinal movement. It will be obvious therefore, that as the screw21 is rotated, one way or the other, the shank 19 of the auxiliarypresser foot will be raised and lowered. The opening 20 in the, shank 19will however, engage the pin15 and serve as a stop to limit the verticalmovement of the shank.

18. Said opening 20 is so disposed that when the pin 15 is brought intocontact with the upper side of said opening, the lower face of theauxiliary part 18 lies in. the same plane as the contact portion 17 ofthe main foot. As a means for rotating the screw 21, I have providedthehead with a plurality of openings 26.

In Figs. 8 and 9, I have shown a modified form of means for adjustingthe screw 21.

In this form of my invention, the screw 21 is provided "with a smallgear wheel 27 which meshes with the gear wheel 28 connected to a thumbwheel 29 which is mounted on the presser barso as to rotate freelythereon. By rotating said thumb wheel, the screw 21 will he also rotatedand the auxiliary portion of the foot adjusted. It will be obvious thatthe regulating thumb wheel 29 may be operated without stopping theaction of the stitching mechanism, if desired.

In the operation of a shirr foot of the character herein shown, it hasbeen noted in passing over a seam which extends diagonally, that anirregularity in the shining occurred, for the reason that one end of theseam raised the whole presser foot up, and it remained elevated on theseam until said foot *passed over the opposite end of the seam. By myimproved presser foot however, wherein the foot may tilt in thedirectionat right angles to the feed, a seam such as above noted,.rocksthe foot one way, as it passes under the foot, and rocks the foot theother way before passing from under the foot, and thus controls thefabric and the shirring at all times.

In Fig. 10, I have shown a still further modified form of means foradjusting the is attached, and the operator is expected to gather in theruffled strip so as to make the ruffled strip lie fiat on the bodyportion of the skirt. This can readily be accomplished on my improvedshirring machine. and more especially by the mechanism disclosed inFigs. 10 to 12. The shank 12 of the main part of the presser foot, 5,extends only a slight distance above the collar 13. The shank of theauxiliary presser member 10 extends up through the tubular shank 12 ofthe main presser foot, and carries a collar 30. A spring 31 surroundsthe shank 19 of the auxiliary presser member and bears against thecollar 30 at one end, and against the tubular shank 12 of the main foot,at the other end. It will readily be seen that the spring normally holdsthe auxiliary foot raised so as to form a space in the rear of thestitching point, thus allowing the machine to form shirrs. A lever 32 ispivoted at 33 to the head of the machine, and the forward end 34 of thelever is bent laterally (see Fig. 11), and rests on top of the collar30. A spring 36 is secured to :1 lug 37 on said lever 32 at one end, andto a lug 38 on the head of the machine at the other end. Said spring 36is considerably heavier than the spring 31 and normally holds the outerend of the lever 32 raised and the spring 31 compressed, so that thelower face 18 of the auxiliary presser member, is flush with the contactface 17 of the main foot 11, so that the machine will do plainstitching. A treadle 39 mounted underneath the support for the machine,is connected to the lever 32 maaeae by a rod 40, and. a spring arm be svided for holding said treadle with the rear end thereof, raised. Itwill readily be seen, that the operator may tilt the treadle39,

g thus lowering the outer end of the lever 32, which in turn will raisethe forward end of said lever and allow the spring 31 to raise theauxiliary foot 18-, so that the machine will form shirrs in the materialoperated 11a upon. The size of the shirrs will depend upon the extent towhich the treadle is depressed. Upon releasing the treadle, the springs36 and 41 will immediately operate to depress the spring 31 which willlower n the auxiliary foot, and stop the shirring action.

When joining a continuous ruffled strip to the body of a skirt as abovenoted, the operator may without stopping or retarding 2c the machine,cause a shirring operation to be performed or not, just as desired, andthus full in or gather the ruflied strip sufficiently so that it willlie smooth and flat upon the body of the skirt.

lVhile the above mechanism is especially useful in joining ruffledstrips to skirt bodies, it is obvious that it may be used wherever it isdesired to form shirrs and that by this mechanism, an operator can,without '30 retarding the speed of the machine, form shirrs which varyin size or do plain stitching, v

While I have shown my presser foot as made in sections which areadjustable relatli tive to each other, for the purpose of formingshirrs, it will be obvious that the space in rear of the stitchingmechanism might be formed by other means, the essential feature beingthe continuous feeding. of the fabric E at in front of the stitchingpoint, and the retarding feed of the fabric in rear of the stitchingpoint, caused by the space between the presser foot and the member withwhich it cooperates in feeding the fabric, and the I as means foradjusting the retarding action.

Having thus particularly described my invention, what I claim as new anddesire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A sewing machine including in combitt nation, a Work support, stitchforming mechanism having a needle, feeding mechanism engaging the underface of the fabric in front of and in rear of the needle, said feed ingmechanism having a uniform movement throughout, means above the worksupport cooperating with the feeding mechanism in rear of the needle forcausing said feeding mechanism to shirr a single strip of fabric, andmeans for varying the said shirring action for rendering the same,ineffective whereby plain stitching may be produced.

2. A sewing machine including in combi nation, a work support, stitchforming mechanism having a needle, feeding mechanism i engaging theunder face of the fabric in front of and in rear of the needle, saidfeeding mechanism having a uniform movement throughout, means above thework support cooperating with the feeding mechanism in rear of theneedle for causing said feeding mechanism to shirr a single strip offabric, and means for varying the said shirring action for rendering thesame inefiective whereby plain stitching may be produced, said lastnamed means being under the control of the operator without stopping thestitch forming mechanism,

3; A sewing machine including in combination, a work support, stitchingmechanism, feeding mechanism, and a presser foot cooperating with saidfeeding mechanism, said presser foot including a main part engaging thefabric in front of the stitching point, and an auxiliary part locatedand engaging the fabric in rear of the stitching point, and means foradjusting the auxiliary part relative to the main part toward and from aposition flush with said main part.

4. A sewing machineiincluding in combination, a work support, stitchingmechanism, feeding mechanism and a presser foot cooperating with saidfeeding mechanism, said presser foot including a main part, engaging thefabric in front of. the stitching point, and an auxiliary part locatedand engaging the fabric in rear of the stitching point, and

7 means for adjiisting the auxiliary part relative to the main parttoward and from a position flush with said main part, said last namedmeans being under the control of the operator and capable of operationwithout stopping the action of the stitching mechanism,

5. A sewing machine including in combination, a work support, stitchingmechanism, feeding mechanism, a presser foot cooperating with thefeeding mechanism, said presser foot including a main part for engagingthe fabric in front of the stitching point, an auxiliary part in rear ofthe stitching point, means for adjusting said auxiliary part relative tothe main part, and a stop for limiting the movement of the auxiliarypartso that the contact face thereof, may be brought into the plane of thecontact face of the main part.

6. A sewing machine including in combicontrol of the operator andcapable of operation without stopping the stitching mechanism. a

7. A sewing niachine'including in combination, a work support, stitchingmechanism, feeding mechanism, a presser'foot cooperating with thefeeding mechanism, said presser foot including a main part for engagingthe fabric in front of the stitching point, an auxiliary part in rear ofthe stitching point, means for adjusting said auxiliary part relative tothe main part, and a stop for limiting the movement of the auxiliarypart, so that the contact face thereof, may be brought into the plane ofthe contact face of the main part, said means for adjusting theauxiliary part.xincluding a lever and a treadle cdnnected to said leverfor operating the same.

8. A sewing machine including in combination a work support, stitchingmechanism, feeding mechanism, a presser foot cooperating with thefeeding mechanism, said presser foot including a main part for engagingthe fabric in front of the stitching point, an auxiliary part in rear ofthe stitching point, means for adjusting said auxiliary part relative tothe main part, and a stop for limiting the movement of the auxiliarypart so that the. contact face thereof, may be brought into the plane ofthe contact face of the main part, said means including a leverpivoted'to the head of the machine, a spring for moving said lever inone direction, and a treadle-connected to said lever for moving the samein the opposite direction.

9. A sewing machine including in combii nation, a work support, stitchforming mechanism having a needle, feeding mechanism engaging the underface of the fabric in front of and rear of the needle, said feedingmechanism having a uniform movement throughout, a presser foot, saidpresser'foot including means located in rear of the needle andcooperating with the feeding mechanism whereby said feeding mechanism iscaused to shirrthe fabric, and means for adjusting the shirring actionfor rendering the same ineffective at the will of the operator.

10. A sewin machine including in combi- -nation, a W05: support,stitching mechanism, feeding mechanism, a presser foot cooperating withsaid feeding mechanism and including a main part and an auxiliary partin rearof the stitching point, capable of vertical adjustment,whereby'the machine may be caused'to shirr the fabric, a spring fornormally holding said .auxiliary part in raised position, a stop forlimiting the downward movement of said auxiliary part, so that thecontact face thereof may be moved into theplane of the contact face ofthe foot.

11. A presser foot for sewing machines, including a mainfoot having aneedle hole 12. A presser foot including in combination, a mainfabric-engaging part and an auxiliary fabric-engaging part locatedentirely in rear of the main fabric-engaging part, and means foradjusting the auxiliary part toward and from a position flush with themain part, whereby the same may be spaced from the material;

13. A presser foot. including in combination a supporting member and afoot portion secured to said supporting member so that said foot portionmay have a rocking transverse movement, said foot portion including amain part and anauxiliary part, and means for adjusting the auxiliarypart relative to the main part whereby said auxiliary part may be spacedfrom the material.

14. A presser foot including in combination, a supportin part, a footportion pivoted thereto, sai foot portion including a main paft and anauxiliary part in rear of the main part, and means for adjusting theauxiliary part relative to the main part whereby the auxiliary part maybe spaced from the material.

15. A presser foot including in combination, a clamping arm, asupporting collar secured thereto, a presser foot having a shankextending up through said supporting collar, and a pin supported by thecollar and extending through said shank whereby said presser foot mayrock transversely, said presser foot including a main part, and anauxiliary part and means for adjusting the auxiliary part relative tothe main part.

16. A presser foot including in combination a main part having a needlehole, an auxiliary. part in the rear of said needle hole, said auxiliarypart having a shank extending up through the main part, a stop forlimiting the downward movement of the auxiliary part, and means forraising and lowering said auxiliary part.

17. A presser foot including in combination a main part having anupwardly extending shank, a supporting member to which said shank ispivoted, a pivot-pin for securing the shank to the supporting member, anauxiliary part having a shank extending up through the shank of the mainpart and having an elongated opening through which the pivot pin passesand means for adjusting said auxiliary part.

18. A presser foot including in combination a main part, having anupwardly extending shank, a supporting member to which said shank ispivoted, a pivot pin therefor, an auxiliary part, having a shank iaaaeatextending up through the shank of the main part, said shank of theauxiliary part having an elongated opening to receive said pivot pin andto limit the movements of said auxiliary part, and means for adjustingsaid auxiliary part.

19. A sewing machine including in combination, a presser foot, having amain part, a shank extending upwardly from said main part, and having anopening therein, an auxiliary part having a shank extending up throughthe opening in the shank in the main part, a'spring for normally holdingsaid auxiliary part in raised position, and a lever for depressing saidauxlliary part.

20. A sewing machine including in combination a presser foot having amain part, a shank extending upwardly from said main part and having anopening therein, an auxiliary part having a shank extending up inthrough the opening in the shank in the main part, a spring for normallyholding said auxiliary part in raised position and a lever fordepressing said auxiliary part, and stops for llmiting the movements ofthe auxiliary part.

21. A sewing machine including in combination, a presser foot having amain part, a shank extending upwardly from said main part, a supportingmember to which said shank is pivoted, an auxiliary part having a shankextending up through the shank in the main part, a collar secured to theupper end of the shank of the auxiliary part, a spring interposedbetween saidcollar and the shank of the main part.

22. A sewing machine including in combination, a presser foot,having amain part, a shank extending upwardly from said main part, a supportingmember to which said shank is pivoted, an auxiliar part havinga shankextending up throng the shank in the main part, a collar secured to theupper end of the shank of the auxiliary part, a spring interposedbetween said collar and the shank of the main part, and a lever pivotedto the head of-the machine, and having an arm normally resting upon saidcollar,v

and a spring of greater tension than the spring on the shank of theauxiliary art and operating to hold the contact face 0 the auxiliarypart normally in the plane of the contact face of the main part.

23. A sewing machine including in combination, a work support, stitchingmechanism, feeding mechanism, a presser foot cooperating with saidfeeding mechanism, said presser foot being formed of two parts actingagainst the fabric, one portion being arranged in advance of the other,means to vertically adjust the rear portion relative to the forwardportion, the line of separation of the two portions being at the needlehole.

24. A sewing machine including in combination, a work support, stitchingmecha nism including a needle, a presser foot, means for feeding thefabric to said needle, and adjustablemeans in rear of the needle andcooperating with the needle and said feeding means for shirring thefabric, said needle passing through the presser foot at a point slightlyin advance of the adjustable means.

25. In a sewing machine, a work support, stitching mechanism, a presserfoot, said presser foot having a fabric-engaging portion in rear of saidstitching mechanism elevated above the plane of the bottom of thefabric-engaging portion of said presser foot in front of the stitchingmechanism, said fabric-engaging portions being fixed. relative to eachother during the normal action of the stitching mechanism, and meanswhereby said presser foot can rock transversely.

In testimony whereof I afix my signature, in presence of two witnesses.

RUSSEL G. WOODWARD.

Witnesses C. MoNnni, WARD WRIGHT.

